Afghan Taliban group says no to mobiles

Threatens violence unless mobile networks are turned off at night

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Taliban insurgent groups are threatening violence in Afghanistan unless the four major Afgan mobile carriers stop the use of mobile phones overnight, according to reports. The rebels insist that by allowing occupying forces to use their mobiles they are at risk of being tracked down, and have orderd mobile phone use to be banned for 14 hours per day.

The mobile operators were given three days to shut down their networks after secret talks were held between representatives from the carriers and the Taliban to discuss the perceived threat.

Denying freedom for its own good

"Since the occupying forces stationed in Afghanistan usually at night use mobile phones for espionage to track down the mujahideen, the Islamic Emirate gave a three-day ultimatum to all mobile phone firms to switch off their phones from five in the afternoon until seven in the morning," Taliban spokesperson Qari Mohammad Yousuf told reporters.

Ironically, three of the four mobile phone carriers are not based in Afghanistan, although they are extremely important to the infrastructure of the country.

If the carriers do cut off mobile access overnight, there is concern that the country will be ill-prepared to deal with any issues that might arise during that time.